Tambour Top Box

On our recent trip to New Zealand and Australia I saw several of these boxes and admired them. When we returned home I remembered that I had a plan for a box like that from a magazine that I had filed away. I dug it out and proceeded to attempt to make that box. It proved to be quite a challenge, but I did succeed in completing the box. In the process I used my tablesaw, bandsaw, biscuit joiner, several different router bits as well as sanders. It’s quite a fascinating box. When you open the drawer the tambour top retracts like a mini roll-top desk and reveals a shelf inside. The tambour slides in a curving track in the sides of the box and its bottom edge is attached to the back of the drawer. The process also required me to made several templates to rout the track in the sides of the box. I used my usual finish of Minwax Tung Oil and buffed it with the Beall buffing system. Thanks for looking.

Very nicely done Bill. I have an old Fine woodworking router book from late 80’s or early 90’s with an article and plan for one of these. They are more complex that many might think, so kudos for your great result.

Very nicely done Bill. I have an old Fine woodworking router book from late 80 s or early 90 s with an article and plan for one of these. They are more complex that many might think, so kudos for your great result.

- stefang

That is what I am thinking. I have to see if I have that article that some referenced to. Thanks for that. I want to scale this down quite abit to hold a couple pens. So that will be a challenge.